Marketing in a recovery: H1 2021 by the numbers

With data, privacy and shifting consumer preferences top of mind during the first six months of the year, U.S. digital ad spending is on pace to grow at its fastest rate since 2018.

By Natalie Black (Koltun) • July 13, 2021

Audi Denmark claims 70% conversion rate for cookieless test leveraging 'exclusion lists'

Working with Omnicom-owned agency PHD Media Denmark, the automaker tapped ad-tech firm Semasio for a solution that leverages a mix of audience and contextual targeting.

By Peter Adams • June 30, 2021

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What you need to know about data in marketing

The pressure on marketers is only intensifying to master data and analytics capabilities that can strengthen personalization and foster loyalty.

By Marketing Dive staff

Attitudes toward brands evolve again, 1 year after a racial reckoning began

As brands and agencies ramp up their commitments to addressing racial equality, some diversity-related tactics are resonating less, an Engine Insights survey found.

By Chris Kelly • June 30, 2021

Horizon Media embeds behavioral science with brand strategy via new team

The largest independent media agency in the U.S. hired strategist and social scientist Steve Grant to lead its new human intelligence push.

By Chris Kelly • June 28, 2021

Amazon acquires podcast distributor, monetization platform Art19 in chase for audio ad dollars

After buying the network Wondery last year, Amazon Music is trying to round out its podcast advertising tools in a manner akin to rival Spotify.

By Peter Adams • June 25, 2021

What's next for the ad industry as Google gives third-party cookies a stay of execution

Google kicked the can down the road with its latest privacy decision, but brands, agencies and the ad tech industry can't rest on their laurels.

By Chris Kelly • June 25, 2021

Google delays third-party cookie phaseout to 2023

Amid renewed antitrust interest around the world, the tech giant updated and clarified the timeline for a major change to how the ad industry tracks and targets consumers.

By Chris Kelly • June 24, 2021

Successful personalization demands a balance of strategy, tactics, technology and skills

Customers punish brands for undifferentiated experiences and irrelevant communications, putting a high price on executing personalization well, writes Gartner's Noah Elkin.

By Noah Elkin • June 23, 2021

Essence taps new Google AI tool to streamline data science behind media planning

GroupM-owned Essence dished on how Vertex AI enables greater agility and replicability for well-performing models.

By Peter Adams • June 14, 2021

Apple doubles down on privacy, further complicating tracking and targeting

Also previewed at the company's WWDC event was a FaceTime upgrade to help it compete in a videoconferencing market accelerated by the pandemic.

By Chris Kelly • June 10, 2021

Salesforce expands first-party data capabilities with new Snapchat, Google tie-ups

Several announcements from the CRM platform's Connections event addressed a growing need for customer data that can be applied with privacy in mind.

By Peter Adams • June 3, 2021

Looking for sales growth in a post-pandemic world

Significant changes in consumer behavior might make existing trackers and models less accurate, writes Helixa's Florian Kahlert.

By Florian Kahlert • June 1, 2021

Google scales data-driven Ads, e-commerce push in preparation for cookie deprecation

During its Marketing Livestream event, the tech giant detailed expanding opportunities around data and partnerships with WooCommerce, GoDaddy and Square.

By Asa Hiken • May 28, 2021

Study: 71% of consumers tire of empty promises, spurring 'age of cynicism'

Consumers trust brands less, yet still have high expectations for them to deliver on purpose, Havas' latest Meaningful Brands study finds.

By Chris Kelly • May 25, 2021

Omnicom data unit taps InfoSum tech to expand clean room capabilities

InfoSum's solution will be integrated into the Omni platform, allowing clients to pair first-party assets with a greater number of data sources.

By Peter Adams • May 24, 2021

Google boosts e-commerce push with new tech, Shopify partnership

New mobile-first rollouts announced at this year's I/O conference seek to attract marketers as consumers continue to flock to e-commerce.

By Asa Hiken • May 20, 2021

Diageo bets on data-driven partnerships with new Collaboration Center

The facility features an immersive visitor experience and offers access to the spirits marketer's data and analytics resources.

By Asa Hiken • May 18, 2021

Ad executives start warming up to in-person events, survey finds

Compared to earlier this year, U.S. advertising executives are more positive about the idea of attending, sponsoring or creating in-person events, though not until later this year.

By Robert Williams • May 12, 2021

Yum ramps up transformation with new tech deals. How will they impact marketing?

Broader trends in the QSR category and changing media consumption habits could herald a bigger focus on performance marketing, experts suggest.

By Peter Adams • May 12, 2021

WPP taps Microsoft for virtual production platform, signaling hybrid working models will endure

Supported by Azure, Cloud Studio will help the agency group cut down on traditional studio work as part of its efforts to improve sustainability. 

By Peter Adams • May 10, 2021

WPP bets on first-party data services with Choreograph launch

A new division combines data units from GroupM and Wunderman Thompson and is already working with Walgreens Boots Alliance.

By Peter Adams • May 3, 2021

Verizon sells media business after struggle to dent digital advertising duopoly

Apollo acquiring the unit behind AOL and Yahoo is another signal that navigating digital media hasn't gotten easier even as the channel now dominates consumer habits.

By Peter Adams • May 3, 2021

Apple revenue up 54% as services hit all-time high

Its increasingly essential Services business saw 27% revenue growth to $16.9 billion on the quarter as subscriptions hit 660 million.

By Chris Kelly • April 29, 2021

Kantar deepens data pool with Numerator acquisition reportedly valued at $1.5B

First announced in April and now completed, the transaction squares with how Bain Capital has been looking to ramp up Kantar's data-driven transformation.

By Peter Adams • Updated July 6, 2021

Branded content, influencer marketing make up biggest slice of digital ad budgets

The need for advertisers to quickly move up and down the purchase funnel is driving a shift in budget allocations, an Advertiser Perceptions survey found.

By Robert Williams • April 22, 2021